Improvement in machines for cutting cork



rdiluted gunst abad (remite.

Letters Patent Nvo. 96,184, dated October 26, 1,869.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING CORK The Schedule referred to in these Letten Patent and making partrof-the'iame.

Figure 3 is a cross-section through the line a: a: of

fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an outline perspective view of the cutting-instrument. i

The object of the invention is to provide for publicnse a. machine which will grasp the bark, hold it lirlnly, and apply the cutting-knives to it in such a manner as to cut out the corks rapidly, with great perfection, and with the utmost economy of material, each movement ofthe operatoslever producing a large number of finely-cut corks.

To accomplish this object, I employ amachine consisting ofthe following' parts,'to wit:

First, a supporting-ti'aine.

Second, two-reciprocating frames, which travel back and forth toward and from each other, and each of which supports a system of cutter-shafts.

Third, a large number of rotary cutter-shafts, with cutter-heads sliding longitudinally upon them.

Fourth, a compound lever-device, which, by a single movement, tirst advances the two reeiprocatiiig-franies till they grasp and hold the bark firmly, and then forces the cutters against it, on each side, while they are rapidly revolving.

Fifth, an ,adjustable table, for holding the bark.

Sixth, a system of gear-wheels, that operate the cuttei'fsliatts, so arranged as'to allow the latter to be moved back and forth in connection with the two sliding frames without being thrown out of gea-1'.

Seventh, a cutter-head, and knives, of peculiar construction and opeiation.

. All these parts will now be more particularly described, aud their combination and mutua-l adalitation and-operation explained, withvleferenee to'said drawings, in whichl E represents the supporting-name; Y

A` At, the two reciprocating-iiames, which travel back and forth toward and from the cork-table T;

B B', the two systems of cutter-shafts, the former connected with the frame A, and the latter with the frame A1;

(l C', two transverse gear-wheel shafts, supported by and travelling with the two frames A Al;

D, a longitudinal power-shaft, which drives all the cutters, it being connected to the two shafts C O', by meansof bevel-gear wheels (l d', which slide upon it as the frames A A move'back and forth, and thereby always remain in gear with the cross-shafts O C',

d d' c c, the bevel-gear, which transmit motion from shaft D to the shafts C C and c3 c4 c5, the gear which transmit motion from shafts C C' to the cutter shafts;

t t, the adjusting-screws, which regulate the height of the table T, that supports the bark while the frames A AI are approaching it; and

T', a frame, pivoted to flame F, at t', and serving, when turned down, (as shown -in fig. 1,) to press upon the upper edge of the bark, and clamp the latter hetween the two part-s T T'.

As thus far described, it is evidentthat the machine is capableof holding the bark in position, and, by means of the two framesA A, bringing all the cutters against it while/revolving at a high speed, and thereby cutting out the corks'rapidly, a large number at'a time, some of the cutters making their incision upon one side, and some upon the other side of the bark, so as not 4to disturbthe latter, or force it from its place.

The machine, as thus far described, is, however, not perfect. l

In connection with the parts referred to, I employ sliding knives, which, revolving with the cutter-shafts, receive the motion ofthe frames A A1, and at the same time have an independent movementof their own, in a manner which I will now describe.

D b' are the cutter-heads, each being nearly in the shapeof a perfect cork, and fixe-d at the end of its shaft, B or B'.

Through slots in each cutter-head extend the knives e el, which are so connected by rods or links, e, to a cross-beam, E E', that, by sliding the latter forward and back, the knives e c1 well advance or recede on the shafts B B', so as to project from the faces of the cutter-heads, or to be entirely concealed therein.

The drawings show both positions of the knives.

It is evident that the cross-bar E E cannot change position, to acconnnodate the rotation of the knives.

I therefore connect the links e2 to spool-formed disks, i

e, which rotate with the cutter-shafts.

The cross-bar E E' is so shaped that a flange upon its upper side projects into the groove in the perimeter of the disks e, on their upper side, and another, on its under side, projects into the saine groove on their under side, thus leaving the disks free to rotate with the cutter-shafts, but causing them to slide back and forth, independently of rsaid shafts, whenever the cross-pieces E E are moved back and forth.

The sliding disks e, as well as the gear-wheels d d', are connected with their shafts -by the well-known tongue-and-groove device, by which they are compelled to rotate with their shafts, although free to change plu'c'e .upon them.

The form of the knives e e is clearly shown in lig. 4

and in fig. 2. i Each knife is a curved blade, with convex edge at the end, and a shank, link, or connecting-rod, e2, at its rear edge, which runs back, and is attached to the disk c". One, two, or more (preferably two) of, the blades may be used with each cutter-head.

The object of the peculiar construction of the cutting-apparatus above described is, that when the bark is in place between the parts T T', the movement of the trames A A1 may bring the cutter-heads fairly up to it, or against it, on each side, so as by lateral press- A ure to hold it tightly before the knives are applied to it; and after the parts reach this position, au inde# pendent forward movement of the cross-piece E E may advance the knives through the slotted cutter-heads, and, while they are rapidly revolving with their shafts, apply them to the bark simultaneously, thus cutting out with the knives a large number of corks at once, while the smooth faces of the cutter-heads hold the bark accurately and irmly in place during the opel'- atiou.

. In order that cutter-heads of dierent sizes may be.

. employed, for the purpose of making larger or smaller corks, I make the axle-boxes or bearings 'i i, of shafts B B', movable, and clamp them in a slot in the cross- -beams ofthe flames A A, by means of screws G G and-blocks H H, (tig. 3,) the latter beingthioker or thinner, according to the different sizes of corks required.

lo cut large corks, I insert thick blocks H H between the boxes it', and clamp thewhole firmly together by the screws G G. To cut small corks, I use thin blocks H H, in place of the thick ones.

.lhe gearwheels c'L c4 can be conlined'in any required position on their shafts C C', by means of a key and seat, so as to accommodate them to any position of the cutter-shafts.

In order that, when the blades c e become worn,

they may not be retracted by the motion of thebar E` so tar as to fall out ot' their sockets, I provide adjustable stops I. I, screwing through the cross-beam A, as shown in iig. 2, so as to 'arrest the backward move! ment ofthe part E at any desired point.

A2 A3 are platforms underthe cutter-shafts, constituting a part of the frames A A1l respectively, and each of the tw'o frames A A1 with the cutter-shafts, andpall the apparatus that moves with the frames may he covered with a box, K, (one of which boxes is shown in fig. 1,) so as to conceal the working parts from view and protect them ii'om dust, &c., and at the same time enable the operator to do his work with less danger of entangling his clothes among the shafts, Ste.

The boxes may have suitable doors in any convenientI position, so that the workmen can get at the machinery, when necessary.

'lhe front or adjacentedges of the two boxes should be vertical. and parallel to each other. The knives should, when advanced, projectthrough such front edges or faces. The cutter-heads may project through, or may not come out flush with such vertical face;as thev constructor shall judge' best. If they project through, they will come againstx the bark and hold it while revolving in contact with it, but if they do not project through, the iront edges ofthe boxes will come against the -bark and hold it-and as the boxes have no rotary motion, this will be undoubtedly the best arrangement. I wish to be free, however, to employ screwed up or down, so as to rest properly upon the uneven edge ofthe bark.

An eccentric button, U, with an inclined under face, serves to force the part 1" down, and hold its screws in contact with the bark, the button itself being supported by au elevated cross-piece, U'.

Having thus described the severalparts of myma chine, above referred to, it remains to explain the means by which, through a si ngle vertical movement of one lever, the frames A Al and theeutter-blades e e can be first advanced or retracted tgether,'and after that themotion of the frames be made to cease, and that vof the blades continue. independently of the frames. The apparatus by which this is effected is as follows:

A rock-shaft, M M', under each frame, and connected thereto by two arms, m. lm. m m', serves to move the respective frames back and forth.

Anotherrockshaft, N N', also under each frame, (tl-e two shafts N N lying between the two M' M,) and connected to the cross-beam E by two arms n u n' n', serves to move the cutter-blades backend forth independently ofthe frames A A1. 'y

4Crauks, OO', are fixed to the ends of the two shafts' M M', and the ends of the cranks are connect-ed hy a pin and slot, 0,'to a slide, Q, which works up and down betweenvertical guides or slide-bars q q.

As thd slide Q is moved upward, it retracts both frames A A1 simultaneously, and when mov-ed downward, brings them together again.

To the lower end of a small vertical slide, Q', below slide Q, aud on the inner side of theframe F, a lever, J, pivoted atj, is attached, by means cfa link, O.

The opposite end of this lever is connected by a'rod, J', to a long hand-lever, L, which operates the-whole apparatus.

The lever L is pivoted, at l, to the upper end of slide Q.

The movement of slide Q is limited by a slot, fr, operating in connection with an adjustable pin, rr. The slide Q' is connected to the rock-bars N N by means of crossed levers or arms.

When the handle ofleverL is raised, the first effect y'is to raise the slide Q, the lever operating upon the pin s as afulcrum, and thereby to throw back the two flames A A1, and the cutters with them. As soon, however, as the pin r strikes the bottom of the slot r, it arrests the upward motion Vof the slide, and stops the/flames A A1. 'lhe'lever then operates upon the pin l. asa fulcrum, and raises the lower slidel Q', thereby throwing back the pieces E'E', and retracting the cutter-blades independently of the frames.

Then 'the lever L is depressed, it first throws down the slide Q, until the pin fr' touches @the top of the slot fr, and then, changing its fulcrum, moves the slide Q' down, and advances the cutter-blades'.

'u e are adjustable stops, designed to limit the forward movement of the arms n. n', and of the parts E E', and blades c c.

' Having tlms described my invention,

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. '.lhe movable frames A Al and Vcutter-shafts B B', in combination with the movable parts E E and cutter-blades e e, when constructed to-operate substantiallyas and l'or the'purposes described.

2. The combination oi' rock-shafts 'M yand N, crank O, slide Q, levers L J, rod J', and adjustable stopfr,

when adapted to operate together, in the manner described, and for the purposes specilied.

3. The arrangement of the cutters e c, heads b b, shafts B B', (l C', D, and adjustable gearing c, c-, c, c3, 0*, c, d, d', when constructed and adapted to operate together, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The arrangement of the cutter-shafts B B' with the movable boxes i fi, blocks H H, and screws G G, substantially as and for the purposes indicated. as and for the purposes sei; forth.

5. The cutter-blades e e, of the form shown in iig. To the above specification of my improvement, I 4, when employed in connection with the heads b l) and have set my hand, this 27th day of January, 1869. parts E E', in themanner and for the purposes set Witnesses OLNEY ARNOLD. forth. CEAS. A. PETTIT,

rocking-frame T, and screws t t T T, substantially 6. The adjustable table T', in combination with the SoLoN O. KEMON. 

